Morris tribunal:Raphoe publican Frank McBrearty snr's nightclub business was "under siege" after his family were wrongly identified as murder suspects following the death of local cattle dealer Richie Barron, the Morris tribunal heard.
The publican claims gardaí targeted his nightclub and tried to drive him out of business after his family became suspects in the botched murder investigation.
Mr McBrearty's nephew, Michael McConnell, said the nightclub was under siege and there were Garda checkpoints "everywhere".
"It was the worst time of our lives. It was terrible. The Mafia wouldn't do it," he said.
Mr McConnell said that on February 10th, 1997, he was told by Paul Quinn that drugs had been planted on him [ Quinn] by gardaí. Mr Quinn's sister Roisin was wrongly arrested along with her husband Mark, Mr McConnell's brother.
Mr McConnell said Mr Quinn was annoyed and angry about what had happened to him. "He was annoyed that the guards said they found drugs on him . . . I've known Paul Quinn for years. He is one of the nicest, civil-est people you would meet. To say Paul Quinn had drugs on him is a joke. He said they were planted on him, basically."
Mr McConnell said the years after Mr Barron's death were "the darkest times of our life".
"Everybody was in a very bad way, depressed. I don't know what way I felt. There was a black cloud hanging over the place. In my opinion the guards were to blame for 99 per cent of it, the intimidation.
"They were out to nail us. It was as if the whole force of the law just came down on top of us. It was a frightening experience. I'll never forget it.
"I still think that my brother's life could still be in danger yet," Mr McConnell said.